The Fitness "Tip Jar".... are we too proud to beg?

by Mary D. Griffin

Tip jars are showing up everywhere these days, from weblogs to fast food counters. Try googling "tip jars" and you will see a lot of buzz about them on the internet. Unsigned musicians are using them to support their craft, bloggers to support their hobby, and writers try to pay their bills by offering their copyrighted content.

Basically you'll find that tip jars, both virtual and real, are indeed controversial. If you are handed an empty cup and have to fix your own drink, are you still expected to drop a dollar at the deli counter when you did half the work? And when you order your already overpriced coffee concoction, is a tip really warranted?

Some professions have long established tipping histories. Every other month, I pay well over $100 for a cut, color and highlights and automatically add in an extra $15 for a tip, knowing that the amount fully covers the actual cost of product, but I am ever so grateful to be rid of my bad hair days.

When dining out, I pride myself on being a good tipper - mainly because I have waited tables and know what's involved with providing good service. But even when the service is less than adequate, I still leave a decent tip, perhaps because I don't want to sully my reputation as a good tipper.

When I arrive at the airport, unload my luggage and drag it from economy parking to curb side check in, it's a struggle, but I manage to find a dollar per bag as I dig for my driver's license, holding my ticket in my teeth. After all, I wouldn't want my bags to mysteriously disappear in the 10 feet between the check-in stand and the conveyor belt.

We tip in some situations without hesitation, like for the pizza that saves us from having to cook - even if it takes an hour. But when an unexpected floral delivery arrives, it's easy enough to allow our 'surprise' to excuse the fact that we can't come up with a tip.

That's another job I've done, having delivered 40 floral pieces the day before Christmas - climbing in and out of the delivery van as many times, rushing to find an upstairs apartment with a secret rear entrance which is usually guarded by an attack dog. On Christmas Eve day, most people are not at home which means I have to search for a safe place to leave the poinsettia where the cat won't destroy it before the intended recipient returns from their last minute shopping.

At the end of a back breaking day, my nerves were shot negotiating holiday traffic, trying to 'ease' my way onto the highway to avoid a floral disaster in the back, yet quickly getting to the next unknown destination. I was so excited and amazingly impressed by the one person, of all those that were home, who actually handed me a $5.00 tip for my service.

Really, it's okay - all you people who were caught off guard not expecting anyone would think of you at Christmas - your warm holiday wishes were actually enough reward. I'm really not complaining, after all I did get my workout for the day!

So unless my floral shop owner/friend Sharon doesn't call me out of shear desperation to find someone who isn't last minute holiday shopping, I will stick with teaching my group fitness classes, thank you.

I get a much more balanced workout and the only territorial dogs you have to deal with are of the human kind, fighting over their spots in the front row. But they can be somewhat reasoned with and I feel confident that they won't bite. And the $15.00 for a one hour class sure beats the $5.00 tip and an orchid that I took home in lieu of pay after a grueling day of floral delivery.

It's somewhat sad, but true - after 15 years of teaching group fitness, I'm pretty much making the same hourly wage of $15.00 an hour, which I guess isn't bad - if I could only physically teach 10 classes a day. While I have not checked the latest survey on group instructor pay, it would not surprise me to find that it is STILL an average of $15 per hour.

Fitness Tip Jar - continued: What It Costs to Be a Group Fitness Instructor

A Tip For You - get yourself a cup of coffee... or better yet, a Corona... this is may be a long read, but it's well worth the time! I promise... maryg

Fitness Tip Jar - Introduction
Fitness Tip Jar - What It Costs to be a Group Fitness Instructor
Fitness Tip Jar - Why We Settle to do Charity Work
Fitness Tip Jar - Certifications and Options
Fitness Tip Jar - The Solution?